Factors associated with hypercholesterolemia in older adults: A cross‐sectional investigation

• Published in: Aging medicine 2024-12, Vol.7 (6), p.727-736
• Main Authors: Oliveira, Maria Clara Alves, Andrade, Júlia Perfeito, Porto, Ana Carolina Souza, Martins, Gizelly Maria Torres, Campos, Nurielly Monteiro, Fonseca Valença Neto, Paulo, De Almeida, Claudio Bispo, Meira, Saulo Sacramento, Roriz, Beatriz Cardoso, Silva, Débora Jesus, Accetta, Victor Giovannino, Casotti, Cezar Augusto, Santos, Lucas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age groups; aging; Behavior; Cholesterol; Data collection; dyslipidemias; Education; Epidemiology; Exercise; Marital status; Minimum wage; Older people; Original; Questionnaires; Socioeconomic factors; Urban areas; Variables; Womens health
• ISSN: 2475-0360; 2475-0360
• DOI: 10.1002/agm2.12373

Objective To investigate the factors associated with hypercholesterolemia in older adults residing in a small municipality in northeastern Brazil. Methods This is a population‐based cross‐sectional epidemiological study conducted with 232 older adults (women: 58.60%; men: 41.40%) in Aiquara, Bahia, Brazil. Independent variables included socioeconomic, behavioral, and health‐related factors. The outcome was self‐reported hypercholesterolemia (yes or no). Poisson regression with a robust estimator was used to calculate Prevalence Ratios (PR) and their respective 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) in the inferential analysis. Gross models were initially developed, followed by a hierarchical multiple explanatory model (Level 1: socioeconomic variables; Level 2: behavioral aspects; Level 3: health conditions). Results The observed prevalence of hypercholesterolemia was 34.50% (men: 21.90%; women: 43.40%). Additionally, a higher probability of hypercholesterolemia was observed in women (PR: 1.94; 95% CI: 1.27–2.97); participants with high sedentary behavior (PR: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.03–2.09); those with abdominal obesity (PR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.06–2.57); and those with diabetes mellitus (PR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.04–2.29). Conclusion The main results showed that female sex, high sedentary behavior, abdominal obesity, and diabetes mellitus were positively associated with hypercholesterolemia in the older population of the study. This study identified a 34.50% prevalence of hypercholesterolemia in older Brazilians. In addition, it was found that female sex, high exposure to sedentary behavior, abdominal obesity, and diabetes mellitus were the factors that were positively associated with the outcome.